Toledo glass auction Friday evening will benefit area arts organization, and those who donated

Jen Blazina, Purse, 2010. Cast glass, metal chain. H 5, W 8 in. Retail price: $750, opening bid: $450.

As glass fund-raising auctions have proliferated, artists have become subject to a steady stream of requests to donate art in exchange for a small percentage of the sales price. It’s an offer many can’t refuse because the donation offers them exposure to collectors and the chance to support a good cause. But a Toledo arts organization has taken a slightly different approach by offering up to half the sales price to the artist. Following up on the success of their inaugural 2008 event, “Hot Glass 2010” will raise money for the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, pay homage to the city’s legacy as the birthplace of Studio Glass, put money in the pockets of artists locally as well as those who donated work.

Hot Glass 2008 raised over $80,000 to benefit the programs of activities of ACGT and paid more than $65,000 to artists for their works. The 2010 Hot Glass exhibit will feature as many as 100 original works in glass, which have been displayed since October 1st, offering additional exposure for the donated artwork. The Friday night auction, November 12th, will be the culmination of the six-week event. The auction can be bid on in person at the Edison Building in downtown Toledo, or at its online site accessible here.

“Though it is a fairly small community, this event draws lots of media attention here because there is artists’ work from all over featured,” observes donating artist Jeff Mack, who is the studio manager at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion which is not affiliated with this event. “Most of the public art commissions go to sculptors from outside of the region which doesn’t make sense to me. Other than that they seem like a really positive thing in Toledo, and they have been doing their thing for quite a while.”

Participating artists include: Antares Venezia, Leon Applebaum, Herb Babcock, Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg, Bee Kingdom, Jen Blazina, Anna Boothe, Brian Brenno, Emily Brock, Jane Bruce, George Bucquet, Jose Chardiet, Dale Chihuly, Eloise Cotton, Jeff Crandall, Scott Darlington, Nirit Dekel, Dick Ditore, Laura Donefer, Patrick Dubreuil, Nina Falk, Shane Fero, Sharon Frankel, Scott Goss, Mary Ellen Graham, Wayne Harjula, Phil Hazard, Sidney Hutter, Alan Iwamura, Richard Jolley, Madelynn Kannen, Janet Kelman, Steve Kemmerley, Eamon King, William King, Flora Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick, Heather Kraft, Chadd Lacy, Robert Pail Lewis, Jeff Mack, Leonard Marty, Tom McGlauchlin, Elizabeth Mears, Shawn Messenger, Robert Mickelsen, James Minson, Benjamin Moore, Nick Mount, Mary Mullaney, Baker O’Brien, Joel O’Dorisio, Matt Paskiet, Tom Philabaum, Jeremy Popelka, Kait Rhoads, Ross Richmond, Christopher Ries, Julia Rogers, Robin Rogers, April Wagner and Jason Ruff, Sally Hobbib Rumman, Tommie Rush, Lisajoy Sachs, Jack Schmidt, Robin Schultes, Michael Schunke, Joyce Scott, Livio Seguso, Kelly Sheehan, Miyuki Shinkai, Sam Stang, Ethan Stern, Mark Sudduth, Boyd Sugiki, Laurie Thal, Pamina Traylor, Stephanie Trenchard, Bertil Vallien, Siem van der Marel, James Vella, Randy Walker, Mike Wallace, Nadine Saylor and Danny White, James Wilbat, Homer James Yarrito, Lisa Zerkowitz, and Patricia Zabreski Venaleck.

Tickets are $75 for an evening that will feature live and silent auctions, heavy hors d’oeurves and desserts, and a cash bar. Money raised will go to supporting the AGT’s activities and programs, which have names like Young Artists at Work, Artomatic 419, Gallery Loops and Art Walks, Art in TARTA, and the Parkwood Gallery.

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